| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | McIver is a homophone for MacGyver, the last name of 80’s and early 90’s action hero Angus “Mac” MacGyver, who has a knack for finding solutions to crises using regular household items. Or at least I think it is. 10th District Congressional candidate LaMonica McIver dodged a bullet Friday. Had a judge ruled that her petition signatures were invalid, as claimed by opponent Brittany Claybrooks, she would have been well past the deadline to fix it. No jerry-rigged gadget would have saved her then. But the administrative law judge Friday allowed McIver, the Newark City Council president, to remain on the ballot even though her own staffer admitted to David Wildstein that he collected petition signatures for her, despite her mother being the only circulator listed on her forms that contained over 1,000 signatures. Rival candidates testified that it was impossible for one person over one weekend to collect those signatures. Nevertheless, because that aide — Hassan Abdus-Sabur — did not testify, the judge ruled that “there is no testimony or evidence showing that [Robin McIver] abused the law.” In the non-legal world of common sense, the evidence that McIver’s petitions were circulated by more than one person is damning. So my question is: How did that happen? It’s legal to have more than one person circulate your petitions. Why not just list them? This is the kind of mistake I could see a longshot campaign making. But the chosen candidate of the Essex County Democratic machine?. In the words of the New Zealand group OMC: “How bizarre, how bizarre.” As usual, I hope you enjoyed that very timely pop culture references in today’s edition of New Jersey Playbook. . TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at MFriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “People can be jerks, and people can be cruel. … It breaks my heart. But that’s the world. And while I don’t condone it, I want to make sure we’re raising a generation that understands how to navigate that behavior. And I’m worried we’re not doing that well.” — Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Nellie Pou, Tom Martello, Paul Duggan, Jim Sverapa WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Jersey City at 6:45 p.m. for a Liberty Science Center event
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THE LATEST SPECIAL EDITION OF ‘MONOPOLY’ IS PERISHABLE — USDA official explains early worries about meat monopoly in Menendez case, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: An American agriculture official in Cairo notified the FBI soon after Egypt granted a monopoly to a New Jersey company alleged to have been involved in bribing Sen. Bob Menendez, the official testified on Friday. The USDA official, Bret Tate, walked federal prosecutors and jurors through what he called his unusual introduction to the head of the company, Wael “Will” Hana. … Tate also wrote a report that worried about the effect of Hana’s monopoly, since the fees the company charged were 10 times higher than the fees other companies had. In Tate’s view, that would hurt American beef companies, which exported 70 percent of beef livers to Egypt, as well as low-income Egyptian consumers who benefit from low-cost American beef. Federal prosecutors allege that eventually some of the money from those fees found its way back to Menendez.
—“Witness at Sen. Bob Menendez’s bribery trial says meat-export monopoly made costs soar” BRIBAL SHOWER — “What did FBI agents find inside a powerful New Jersey senator’s home? So. Much. Cash,” by NJ Advance Medai’s S.P. Sullivan: “It’s not to say the FBI agents weren’t ready for what was inside the split-level the couple shared back in New Jersey when Bob wasn’t busy voting in Congress, or traveling abroad as head of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The trouble was counting all the cash. It was everywhere. Locked away in closets, stashed inside designer bags, even stuffed into a pair of Timberland boots. ‘I was directed that if I seized the cash, that I needed to count it in place,’ Special Agent Aristotelis Kougemitros told the jury. ‘So I called in reinforcements.’ The bureau’s Manhattan office sent two cash-counting machines to process the piles of 20s, 50s and 100s they had struggled to count by hand, Kougemitros testified. They later tallied $486,461 in bills. All that on top of the now-infamous 13 gold bars.” —“All eyes on gold bars in early days of Menendez trial” —“Take my wife, please: For political damage control, just blame your spouse”
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | STUING — Chief Justice Rabner says Scutari’s appellate judge proposal would ‘harm the public’, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: State Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner is warning that a new proposal upending how state appellate court judges are picked “would likely delay justice and harm the public.” It’s the latest remarks from the most influential member of the state judiciary, who has publicly railed against a proposal that would amend the state constitution to allow the governor to nominate state appellate court judges directly, with approval of the state Senate. … “Our system works well on behalf of the people of New Jersey, as it has for 75 years,” he said, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. “We should not amend the Constitution in a way that I fear would be a serious mistake — that would likely delay justice and harm the public.” —“Scutari proposes NJ appellate judge appointment change. What it does and its reception” AC/DCA — “DCA commissioner open to discussing Atlantic City takeover extension, public housing woes,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s: “The state Department of Community Affairs is open to discussing an extension of the state takeover of Atlantic City past 2026, and is working with another state agency and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to help fund improvements to public housing in the resort, its acting commissioner said Thursday. In response to questions from state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, Jacquelyn Suárez also said her department is open to discussing future changes in how the city is funded … Moody's recently upgraded the city's bond rating one notch, Suarez said, citing the state's oversight through MSRA and the continuation of the casino payment-in-lieu-of-taxes plan, which guarantees a consistent funding stream. Both are due to sunset in 18 months, or be renewed. ‘Moody's also said if it was clear they would continue beyond 2026 the city would have seen a two-tier increase as opposed to one,"’ Suarez said.” FLYING ON DELTA — “Lawmakers look for new ways to regulate hemp, delta-8 products flooding New Jersey,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: A new bill would regulate the production and sale of “intoxicating hemp products” that include less than 0.5 milligrams of THC — the chemical that gets someone high — per serving … The New Jersey bill advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday after nearly an hour of testimony by a 6-2 vote, with Republican Sens. Jon Bramnick and Kristin Corrado voting no. Brewery owners and liquor industry representatives opposed any move that would bar them from selling low-dose hemp drinks. Eric Orlando, of the Brewers Guild of New Jersey, suggested allowing alcohol licensees to also apply for a type of cannabis license allowing them to manufacture or sell hemp beverages. “We’re not opposed to regulating these products, but we think we should afford local manufacturers the ability to produce and sell these beverages,” he said. —“Scorcher of a summer is coming and N.J. workers demand more protections” —“U.S. Coast Guard will likely OK controversial NJ Turnpike Extension bridge” —Editorial: “Rep. Payne’s passing leaves a seat in Congress vacant for 5 months. Let’s fix that” —Tim Sullivan: “The momentum of N.J.’s wind industry is the envy of the nation. Let’s keep it going” —GSI: “Plans for New Jersey's energy future badly need a reality check. We need realistic plans” CARTOON BREAK — ”The rumors of the party bosses demise have been greatly exaggerated,” by Drew Sheneman
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ICH BIN EIN BELINER — Judge dismisses challenge to McIver petitions for Payne Jr. seat, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: An administrative law judge said Friday that Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver — the frontrunner in the special election to serve the rest of Rep. Don Payne Jr.’s seat in Congress — should stay on the ballot for the upcoming special primary election. The judge, Kim Belin, dismissed a challenge to McIver’s nominating petitions to get her off the ballot. McIver’s petitions only name one person as collecting her 1,081 petitions: Her 65-year-old mother, Robin McIver. That led to a legal challenge from former East Orange Councilmember Brittany Claybrooks, who is also seeking the Congressional seat. She sought to invalidate McIver's petitions, arguing that it is highly unlikely that Robin McIver alone collected over 1,000 signatures in less than 72 hours.
—“Claybrooks stays on ballot in NJ-10 primary, judge says” —Hennelly: “Trump’s Wildwood mirage” —Snowflack: “With Trump, the Glassner is half full”
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SAND IN THE PLACE WHERE YOU LIVE — “Jersey Shore mayor sort of regrets shelling out $39M to save town’s beach,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas: “[T]here is one thing he’s thought twice about — especially now that the state recently has agreed to foot most of the bill for a fix much larger than the 1.7-square mile town could have handled on its own. And that fix is still just a temporary one until the long-delayed federal replenishment project by the U.S. Army Corps begins. ‘The regret that I have with regard to the money we spent on sand is that had we known that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was going to be 10 years late on this (Army Corps) project we would have worked on a hydraulic dredge project much sooner,’ Rosenello told NJ Advance Media on Thursday.”
IF ONLY THE CITY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO AVOID THIS, LIKE RELEASING REQUESTED PUBLIC RECORDS — “Hudson County judge awards Hoboken developer $45k in OPRA suit,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “Hudson County Superior Court Assignment Judge Jeffrey Jablonski awarded a subsidy of Hoboken developer Pegasus Partners $45,517 for expenses related to an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) lawsuit with the city [this month], court documents show … The same judge ruled in October that the city must release police station appraisal records, and while the city appealed, they eventually opted not to pursue the case any further. That came just over a month after Just Block 112 sued for the records, which they said yielded no response from the city for six months. Briefs filed in the case shows that the city’s position was that the appraisals were in draft form, which under New Jersey law makes them exempt from OPRA.” BUILD IN WALL — “Nearly 1K affordable housing units coming to N.J. town after decade-long court fight,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jackie Roman: “Plans to bring nearly 1,000 affordable housing units to Wall Township have been finalized after a nearly 10-year court battle. A Monmouth County Superior Court judge approved an amended settlement agreement between Wall Township and the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center last month dictating where 937 affordable housing units for individuals and families will be located within the town, according to a 20-page final judgement. The units will be for low- and moderate-income residents." —“Some were confused by the verdict in the Wasim Muhammad sex abuse case. Here are some questions answered” —“'We are not crying wolf': Even with extra NJ aid, more taxes, Toms River school cuts loom” —“Newark Board of Education election 2024 winners raised $63,500 in contributions, campaign reports show” —“Reckless police chase led to my husband’s death on [Paterson] street, woman says in lawsuit” —“New St. Lucy’s shelter in Jersey City: Vast improvements and a few kinks in first cold season” —“Remains found in car submerged in [Cooper River] was mom missing for 14 years, family says”
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WOOLLEY’S MAMMOTH EFFORT — “I fled the Taliban and earned my degree hidden in a safe house, N.J. university grad says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brianna Kudisch: “Hashmat Vejdani … attended classes in the middle of the night in a hidden safe house in Pakistan — secured by a sprawling network of university contacts. … Vejdani, who attended Fairleigh Dickinson’s commencement at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Wednesday, fled his home in Afghanistan with his wife and three young children three years ago after the Taliban seized control of the country. … As a former interpreter for the United States and well-known peace activist, Vejdani was an outspoken critic of the Taliban and an advocate for women’s rights in the country. His family’s harrowing journey ended in April when they moved to the U.S. ‘My life was in danger in Afghanistan,’ Vejdani told NJ Advance Media. His path to graduation spanned several countries, thousands of miles and a lucky string of introductions and connections at Fairleigh Dickinson that eventually brought him to safety. Peter Woolley, director of the university’s School of Global and Public Affairs, was instrumental in helping the family, Vejdani said. Woolley ‘saved the lives of five people,’ Vejdani said.”
GAZA — “American doctors trapped in Gaza begin evacuation, including NJ pharmacist and surgeon,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “Five Americans — including a New Jersey pharmacist who missed her daughter's college graduation — who had been trapped in Gaza after Israel sealed borders preventing their crossing, departed the besieged conflict zone early Friday. They were part of a medical team who went to the war zone to provide emergency medical care. Ghada Abukuwaik, from Totowa, said they left at about 6 a.m. local time, reaching the U.S. Embassy about four hours later. …. The 19-member team entered Gaza on May 1 and have been stuck there since Israel seized and closed the border crossing into Egypt, cutting off access to humanitarian aid and medical crews.” BRIDGE KELLY’S FAULT — “George Washington Bridge climber, not protestors, jams NYC-bound traffic for hours,” by The Daily Voice’s Jerry DeMarco: “A 24-year-old climber partially caused massive delays when he started climbing the Manhattan tower's south side shortly before noon May 18 … The black-hooded climber wasn't believed to be a protestor -- but, rather, someone with emotional issues, responders said. ‘There’s no flags, no banners, no statements in connection to any protests,’ an NYPD spokesman said.” —“Fisherman finds dead dolphin on [Long Branch] beach”
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